Arceneaux: Host of high-stakes baseball game this week

If Georgetown’s shocking loss to Florida Gulf Coast did as much damage to your bracket as it did mine, you’re probably looking
for a distraction from March Madness.

Thankfully, there are a host of big-stakes baseball games on the schedule this week to serve as a diversion.

In District 4-3A, Iowa hosts Jennings
on Monday. The Yellow Jackets (12-7) lost their first district game at
home to South
Beauregard before responding with a win over Westlake. The Yellow
Jackets can stay within touch of the leaders with a sweep
of two home games this week.

Jennings (11-8) has started district
play with home wins over Crowley and South Beauregard to earn a share of
the district
lead with Notre Dame. The Bulldogs go to Crowley Wednesday to play
the Pioneers and will have a chance to take control of
the district race with a sweep. Even a split leaves the Bulldogs
in good shape heading into the second half of district play.
The Bulldogs have shown they can win in a variety of ways, beating
Crowley in an 11-8 slugfest and South Beauregard 4-2 in
a pitchers’ duel.

The Golden Knights split their first two district games, both on the road, and are 16-3. After an impressive showing last
season, South Beauregard’s nucleus is back looking for more.

The Golden Knights have strong starting
pitching in brothers Nathan and Nick Lee and are solid defensively.
South Beauregard
Jeremy coach Deville said the team hitting has been the area the
team has improved in most this season. The ability to produce
runs against the top-notch pitching the team will face throughout
district will determine the team’s fate.

Tuesday, Barbe travels to Moss Bluff to
play Sam Houston in a District 3-5A showdown. The game is of added
importance to the
Broncos, who have started district play with a pair of losses. A
Broncos loss would leave them three games behind the district
leader with nine games left to make up ground.

The district race is shaping up to be a
brutal one, with the Bucs off to a blistering 20-2 start, including 1-0
in district.
Sam Houston is 16-6, Sulphur 16-6, and resurgent Comeaux is 15-5,
joining traditional powers Acadiana and Lafayette as serious
challengers for the district crown.

The Bucs have several new faces in the mix this year after last season’s championship run and have gotten a boost from transfer
Sloan Dieter and sophomore second baseman Braden Comeaux

Sulphur faces Acadiana and this week in advance of a huge week next week that includes three games, two of which are visits from Barbe and Sam Houston.

A 4-4A battle between DeRidder and St. Louis headlines Thursday’s schedule.

DeRidder also plays Beau Chene (12-7, 2-0) on Tuesday. The Dragons have one five straight games and have allowed only seven
runs over that span. The Dragons had an uncharacteristic down year last season but have responded in a big way with a 15-7
start that includes a nondistrict win over Barbe.

St. Louis has won three straight by a
combined score of 39-0 after losing six of their previous seven games.
The Saints struggled
with defense and injuries during a midseason slump that followed a
9-0 start, but appear to be regaining form in time to make
a charge at the district title.